Paper napkin



July 5, 1932. F. M. KOWALEWSKI PAPER NAPKIN Filed March 3, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l 2 j M. w

July 5, 1932. F. M. KOWALEWSKI PAPER NAPKIN Filed March 5, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Frank M Kawa/awsk/ Patented July .5, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIcE FRANK M. KOWALEWSKI, OF GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR- OF ONE-HALE-TO WILLIAM II. OANNARD, OF GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN PAPER NAPKIN Application filed March 3,

This invention relates to paper napkins and, likewise, to methods of folding them.

While my inventive-concept is especially useful in connection with paper napkins, it is to be understood that I do not desire to be restricted to this particular use as the hereindescribed methods of folding are equally applicable to fabrics to pro-duce folded fabric articles.

It is customary, in setting a table preparatory to dining, to provide a napkin, together with the necessary silverwear, at each place at the table for the individual use of the diners. The primary object of this invention is to produce a napkin, or the like, which is folded so as to provide a pocket for the reception of the silverware, such as a knife, fork and spoon, to be used in dining by the person using the napkin.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a napkin of this character so folded and arranged that portions thereof serve to underlie the silverware articles when the napkin is positioned upon a table with the articles partially inserted within the pocket. 7

It is further contemplated among the objects of the invention to produce a folded napkin, or the like, which is neat and distinctive in appearance; to fold each napkin into compact form so that it will occupy a small space when packed with a large number in cartons; to so form each napkin that it will lend itself readily to an economicaland spacesaving variety of nesting; and to extend its folds in such direction as to enable it to be easily opened for use and of such form and arrangement that one napkin may be separated readily from a large batch.

With these and other objects in view, as will become apparent as the description proceeds, the invention consists of the novel features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangements of parts hereinafter to be fully described and pointed out in the claims.

A full and complete understanding of the invention may be obtained from a consideration of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of the disclosure,

1927. Serial at. 172,305.

it being understood that while the drawings show practical forms of the invention, the latter is not to be confined to-the'showing thereof, but may be changed and modified so long as such changes and modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as hereinafter fully described and claimed. V

In these drawings: Figure 1 is a view, in plan, of a blank from which the folded product is'produced:

Fi ures 2 to 6, inclusive, are views in plan illustrating the blank as it appears after b eing subjected to each successive folding operation; a Figure 7 is a View in plan of the reverse side of the completely folded article shown in Fig. 6;

Figure 8 is an enlargedview in plan illu trating the folded product with a knife, fork and spoon partially positioned within its pocket; V

F igure 9 is a view in plan of a blank from which another form of product is produced; Figures 10 to 14, inclusive, are views in plan illustrating the blank of Fig. 9 as it appears after being subjected to each successive folding operation;

Figure 15 is a view in plan of the reverse side of the completely folded article in Fig. 14; and

Figures 16 and 1'7 are views in plan of opposite sides of still another form of product, also providing an article holding pocket,-resulting from a folding of the napkin, as shown in either Fig. 4 or Fig. 12, once along a line connecting midpoints of opposite sides of the napkin. V

In the practical embodiments of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings and, more particularly, the form shown in Figs. 1 to 8, inclusive, the reference-character 1 designates a rectangular (preferably, but not necessarily, square) blank of paper, fabric or the like material which is subjected to a plurality offolding operations, as hereinafter described, toproduce a, folded napkin having a pocket for the reception of the silverware; for instance, a knife 2, fork 3 and spoon 4, to be used by the individual using the napkin.

As shown, the blank 1 is first folded upon a line 5 connecting the approximate central points of the two adjacent edges 6 and 7 of the blank and the resulting triangular portion 8 is disposed under the body of the blank with its apex 9 at the approximate center thereof, which produces a blank as shown in Fig. 2. This blank is then folded along the line 10 so that the portion 11 thereof above this line (as shown in Fig. 2) is superimposed upon the lower half 12 of the blank to produce the partially folded napkin, as shown in Fig. 3. The rectangular blank thus obtained is then folded centrally, along line 13, so that the left-hand portion 14: (Fig. 3) thereof underlies the remainder of the blank which produces the substantially square folded blank shown in Fig. 4. I

Side-portions 15 and 16 of the napkin are then successively folded beneath the central portion 17 thereof on lines 18 and 19 which extend from the corner 2-0, or apex of the napkin, to the approximate center of the sides 21 and 22, respectively. Fig. 5 illustrates the form of the napkin when one only of the sideportions 15 has been folded under the central portion 17 thereof, while Figs. 6 and 7 illu trate the opposite sides of the napkin after both of the side-portions 15 and 16 have been folded into position to form the completely folded product.

It will be observed that, by the abovedescribed method of folding, a napkin is produced which is in the form of a cornucopia which has certain extending portions 17 made up of fewer plies than the body of the napkin whereby; one napkin may be readily separated from a, atch thereof and which has upon one of its sides a pocket 23 for the reception of the pieces of silverware to be used by the individual using the napkin. The flared portions 17 of the napkin serve, in use, to support those portions of the silverware not contained in the pocket out of contact with the table, cloth, or other supporting surface. Obviously, the sequence of folds may be altered without departing from my inventive concept; for instance, the corner 8 may be folded over as the first step, as shown, or it may not be so folded until after one or both of the central folds-on lines 10 and 13 have been made, it being essential only that this triangular portion be folded back prior to the making of the last two folds, that is, on lines I8 and 19, to cause the production of the pocket 23. r

In Figs. 9 to 15, inclusive, I have illustrated another method of folding a. napkin or the like, whereby a somewhat different product is obtained which, however, contains all of the desirable features of the form just described. In this embodiment of the invention, the blank or napkin 25 (Fig. 9) is first centrally folded along a line 26 connecting the approximate central points of opposite sides 27 and 28 thereof, which produces a rectangular twoply blank as shown in Fig. 10.

Both plies of the blank thus obtained are then bent up on a line 29, extending from a corner 30 thereof to the approximate center of the side opposite to the line 26, and are superimposed upon the remainder of the blank so that the apex 31 of the triangular folded portion 32 falls over the center of the longitudinal closed edge of the blank.

The blank (now in the form shown in Fig. 11) is then folded on the line 33 so that the left-hand portion 3 1 thereof underlies the remainder of the blank, as shown in Fig. 12. Side portions 35 and 36 of the partially fold-. ed napkin are then successively folded under the central portion 37 on lines 88 and 39 extending from the corner -10, or apex of the napkin, to the approximate center of the respective sides 41 and 42 which produces the completely folded product, opposite sides of wl ich are shown in Figs. 141 and 15. It will be observed that the napkin is in the form of a cornucopia, including a pointed end ll) formed of central portions of the blank, and a flared or wider portion 11 thinnerthat is, of less plies-than the pointed portion and formed of outer portions of the blank, and is so folded as to produce a pocket 42 on one of its faces, opening intermediate the ends of tne napkin and toward the flared end 11, for the reception of a knife, fork and spoon, or the like.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figs. 16 and 17 of the drawings, a rectangular form of product is produced by a single folding of the naprin, when in the form shown in either Fig. -l or Fig. 12, along a central line 4-3 connecting mid points of op posite sides of the napkin instead of infolding the opposite corners as in the first two embodiments. It will be observed that the product thus formed includes a pocket 44 of less length than the folded product on one surface thereof. In other words, the product sh own in Figs. 16 and 17 may be produced by a folding of the napkin as shown either in Figs. 1 to 4 or Figs. 9 to 12, followed by a single transverse folding along the line 43 indicated on Figs. 4 and 12.

f desired, in lieu of laying the napkins at each individual place at the table and inserting the silverware in the pockets thereof, they may be stood up, with the silverware disposed in the pockets, in the drinking glasses of the several places on the table.

What I claim is:

1. A napkin folded to provide a multiply pointed portion and a flared portion of less plies than the pointed portion, said pointed portion being so formed to provide a pocket designed to contain articles, said pocket opening centrally of one face of the napkin and defined in part by the edges of the napkin and facing said flared portion.

2. The method of folding a substantially square blank which includes the steps of first doubling the blank by folding on a central line paralleling two of its sides, doubling the blank thus obtained by folding on a line midway between and parallel to its shorter sides to produce a multiply blank of less area 19 than the original blank, folding an outer ply of the blank back upon itself along a line connecting opposite corners thereof, and folding side portions of the blank back upon the central portion thereof on the side opposite the folded back ply and on lines extending from a corner of the blank to the approximate center of the respective sides opposite the corner to produce a cornucopia-shaped product having a pocket upon one of its 20 faces.

3. The method of folding a napkin which includes the steps of doubling the napkin to obtain it in a substantially square multiply form, folding back one of the plies upon itself, and folding side-portions of the napkin back upon the side opposite the foldedback ply to produce a folded napkin having a pocket upon one of its faces.

4. A folded napkin having a multiply portion and a portion of less plies than the multiply portion, said multiply portion providing a pocket designed to contain articles, said pocket being defined in part by the edges of the napkin and opening toward the portion of less plies.

5. A folded napkin having a multiply portion and a portion of less plies than the multiply portion, said multiply portion pro-viding a pocket designed to contain silverware without substantially deforming the folded napkin, said pocket being defined in'part by the edges of the napkin and opening toward the portion of less plies.

In testimon whereof I aflix my signature.

FR NK M. KOWALEVVSKI. 

